THE EPACRIS FAMILY. 



327 



in spikes or racemes, rarely solitary. Corolla urceolate, 

 deeply cleft. Stamens 10. Fruit a dry 4 or 5-celled cap- 

 sule. 



About 20 species are contained in this family, all havin^ 

 bell-shaped flowers like some Heaths. They are natives of 

 North America, Europe, and Northern Asia, and are gene- 

 rally found growing in fir woods. The principal number of 

 species come under two genera {^Chimaphila and Pyrola)\ 6 

 species of the latter being natives of this country, but con- 

 fined to only a few localities. Chimaphila maculata is a 

 pretty, somewhat variegated-leaved shrub, about 1 or foot 

 in height, growing in tufts. The whole are interesting as 

 pretty, neat plants, and differ only from the Heath family in 

 the corolla being generally divided to the base, not truly 

 monopetalous. 



Although the curious native plant Fir Rape {Monotropa 

 hypopitys) differs widely from Heaths and Rhododendrons, 

 the character of its flowers nevertheless brings it within this 

 alliance. The whole plant consists of a fleshy few-flowered 

 scape, furnished with scale-like bracts : the whole being of 

 a pale or brownish colour. Corolla partially polypetalous, 

 5-lobed. Stamens 10, hypogjmous. It is generally consi- 

 dered to be parasitic on the roots of trees, and is found 

 in masses in fir and beech woods. By some botanists 

 it is considered to be a type of a distinct family, Mono- 

 tropaceffi, of which there are about 8 or 10 species dis- 

 tributed over the northern temperate zone. They have no 

 special use. 



The Epacris Family. 



(Epacridace^.) 



Small trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, simple, distant 

 or contiguous, and sheathing at the base, overlapping each 

 other, rarely verticillate with longitudinal veins. Flowers 

 solitary, terminal or in spikes, or in the axis of the leaves ; 

 white or red. Calyx often coloured and persistent. Corolla 

 short, spreading, tubular or urceolate, sometimes becoming 



